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02 Aug Parliament

Parliament Needs Tens Of Thousands Of Unscheduled Repair Jobs Every Year

A leading expert on parliament's restoration has warned that parliament will require huge amounts of work to "keep the lights on, the air flowing and the sewage working" as new data shows that tens of thousands of unexpected repair jobs are needed on the estate every year.

26 Jul Parliament

Parliament In Disrepair Left Vulnerable To High Energy Costs, As Bill Hits Almost £1m

Parliament’s age and disrepair has left it vulnerable to rising energy costs, a parliamentary expert has warned, after new data showed the bill for gas and electricity had already reached almost £1m for the first two months of this financial year.

15 Jun Parliament

Parliament’s voiceless staff will pay the price for inaction on its crumbling buildings

In and around Parliament it is normal to expect buckets that catch leaks from heavy rain, or yellow “Caution Wet Floor” signs where the leaks are uncontainable

13 Jun History

How a new Parliament building could become a dreadful reality

If the doomsayers are right, and Parliament burns down or is forced to relocate entirely, what comes next? Architectural historian Professor James Stevens Curl explains how the current structure came to be – and explains why he fears the worst in the future.

07 Jun Parliament

Parliamentary Possibilities

Tony Grew runs through the fraught history of Parliament’s restoration and renewal saga, and comes up with a proposal of his own for how to solve it.

13 Apr Parliament

Parliamentary Staff Could Face “Corporate Manslaughter Charges” If Crumbling Palace of Westminster Claims A Life

As MPs continue to delay plans to renovate the crumbling Palace of Westminster a leading Parliamentary expert says staff would be the ones to face “charges of corporate manslaughter” if someone dies before it is fixed.

29 Jun 2022 Parliament

Restoration and Renewal must deliver value for money as well as fulfilling Parliament's needs

The Palace of Westminster sits at the heart of a UNESCO world heritage site and is a global symbol of our parliamentary democracy.

20 Jun 2022 Parliament

Keeping the two Houses together is vital for an effective Parliament and government scrutiny

Two years ago, the prospect was floated of the House of Lords moving out of London during the Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster.

17 Jun 2022 Parliament

House of Commons to become ‘menopause friendly’ employer

In the latest issue of the magazine, we cover parliamentary news, from Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle backing ‘menopause friendly’ policies to a new restoration and renewal approach being agreed – and plenty more...

18 May 2022 Parliament

The Lords must not be exiled during Parliament repairs

In an unprecedented letter from Michael Gove, on behalf of the government, he tells the Lord Speaker: “I will not support the use of the QE2 Centre” for the House of Lords when repairs are done to Parliament “and I propose… to support you in identifying a suitable location… in the North, Midlands, South West, Scotland or Wales”.

14 Mar 2022 Parliament

Health and Safety Executive Investigating Asbestos Release in Parliament

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is now investigating the asbestos release in Parliament which it has emerged could have affected as many as 117 members of staff.

12 Mar 2022 Social affairs

Access All Areas? Disabled parliamentarians say Westminster is locking people out of democracy

From the buildings of Parliament to outright discrimination, disabled parliamentarians and staffers face physical and societal barriers to accessing politics, resulting in chronic under-representation. Georgina Bailey reports

25 Feb 2022 Parliament

We could not abandon Parliament for decades - restoration and renewal must proceed at a sensible pace

I warned my fellow Restoration and Renewal Sponsor Body members that colleagues would not be keen on an excessively long and expensive decant. Despite this, the Delivery Authority reported to us in December its recommendation for a decant lasting up to 15 years, at a cost of somewhere in the region of £14bn.

24 Feb 2022 Political parties

Westminster Repair Bill Could Reach £22bn And Take 76 Years If MPs And Peers Don't Decant

An extensive new report has claimed costs for the vital repair works could soar if MPs choose to remain in the Palace of Westminster.

09 Feb 2022 Political parties

Westminster repair plans in chaos after parliamentary authorities scrap delivery body

MP and peers could now remain in Parliament while works are undertaken on the Palace of Westminster following a decision to scrap the sponsor body.

04 Nov 2021 Parliament

‘The Palace needs to be a modern working environment for the future’ - what next for the Restoration and Renewal?

In the great chambers of the Houses of Parliament, recess is a quieter time, as Members focus on work in their constituencies and there is a break from much of the business of Parliament. As the Speaker calls time and the Lobby is locked, we are ready to make the most of a quieter Palace of Westminster.

16 Jun 2021 Political parties

Working with the parliamentary community and public is paramount to the success of the Restoration and Renewal

We’re particularly keen to hear views about issues such as accessibility and inclusion and making the best use of the available space within Westminster Palace.

19 Aug 2020 Political parties

Commons and Lords Speakers reject Boris Johnson’s call to move Parliament to York amid multibillion pound refurbishment

Boris Johnson’s call to consider temporarily moving Parliament to York while it undergoes major renovation works has been shot down by the speakers of the House of Commons and the Lords.

16 Jul 2020 Political parties

Boris Johnson suggests moving Parliament to York amid major renovation programme

Boris Johnson has proposed moving both Houses of Parliament to York while the Palace of Westminster undergoes major refurbishment work.